Lowest Common Denominator of Denominational Doctrinal Differences

Does it ever just get to you?  Have you ever read the words “Unity in the Spirit” and thought, does that really mean everyone, no matter what they believe?  Does it only apply for certain belief systems? Does that mean only the people who believe the same exact way I believe? Is there a standard that can't be disputed?  Why does the Bible seem so clouded in some areas?  Why isn't it all just plain and clear and straightforward?

Have you ever thought that perhaps it is clear and plain and straightforward and the problem lies with us and our understanding or lack thereof?

 I’m certain I am not the only one who has wondered about why there are so many denominations!  Don't we all share the same basic belief premises?

·         That in the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth

·         That Jesus is the Savior Who died to pay the penalty of all sin for all people

·         That obedience to God is the surest way to blessings in this life now and Eternally after physical death occurs

And then all the divergent thought processes begin.

You must be dipped in water; You must be sprinkled with water blessed by a clergyman; You must be fully submerged in a tub of water; You must be baptized to be considered Saved and able to enter Heaven at your death on earth; Baptism is only a symbol and doesn’t play a significant role in Salvation or eligibility for Heaven

You must repeat this set of words in this way to pray; You must pray straight from the heart; You mustn't be repetitious in prayer; You must pray out loud; You must pray silently; You must pray privately in a closet or closed room; You must pray corporately

You must accept Christ as Savior and confess Him Lord; (wait, there is scripture that clearly supports that doctrine.  Romans 10: 9-10)

You can’t wear makeup or cut your hair if you are female; Outward things are not important for God looks on the HEART, not the flesh; You must dress this way; You must dress that way; How you dress has no bearing on where you stand with God, it is only the spiritual connection that is significant in relation to where you stand with God

You must bow before a statue; You must not bow before a statue; You must NOT have graven images of any kind (oh, yea first commandment Exodus 20:4) Symbols and pictures and statues are fine; Symbols and pictures and statues are satanic and distract from worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth; How you Worship isn’t significant but only that you Worship; God accepts many forms of Worship; God only accepts these certain types and styles of Worship

There must be music for Worship; There must not be music for Worship; It must be this type of music to be Worship; it doesn't matter what type of music you choose;

Dancing is a sin; Dancing is not a sin (David danced in Worship before the Lord, was he sinning?  Some say yes and that's why his wife despised him.  Others say no and that's why he took a new wife and forsook Michal)

You will act this way; You will not act that way and on and on and on with many rules and regulations, most of which can be proven and/or dis-proven depending on which scripture you read and how you read it and what version of the bible publication you happen to be reading.

I believe the Bible clearly states several doctrine that are set in stone.

1.     There is clearly a blessing, a reward to believing God. Hebrews 11:6 addresses this simply.  To come to God at all starts with believing that He exists AND that He rewards those who seek Him.

2.    We are Saved through Jesus.  Acts 2:21 and Romans 1:13 clearly indicate salvation comes to any and all who call on the Name of Jesus.  Romans 10:9-10 again speaks of confession of Jesus as Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead.

3.    There are certain obedience behaviors expected to show themselves as evidence in the lives of those who profess to be Gods children. James 2:14 speaks clearly to committing actual works that line up with our confession to trusting in and having faith toward God.  It isn’t enough to confess, there must be evidence in our actions.

4.    None of us gets it right all the time. 1John 1:8 leaves no room for doubt that we all sin, but that repentance with confession to the Lord gains us forgiveness.  Not just at the first instance of salvation, but throughout our lives from there forward, as we sin, we repent, we ask forgiveness and we receive that forgiveness.

 Why then all the infighting and disunity in what is supposed to be, according to Ephesians 4, one unified Body of Christ?  In 1Corinthians 9:19 and on, Apostle Paul speaks of being all things to all people. This section of scripture in Corinthians covers a lot of if not all the reasons there are so many "denominations" with different practices. Stop and think, and I believe you will see the sense of it.

None of us is exactly the same as others of us.  We all want and actually need different things in order to feel "right" in ourselves.  We need different experiences we can respond to and be comfortable with. 

 Some personality types need tight structure to thrive and be fulfilled.  Others crave far less restrictions in order to thrive and fulfill our purpose.  Some people must have excitement and change on a regular basis to suit their hearts desires.  Other people prefer the steady stability of sameness and feel best when they've planted deep roots.  While some people desire traditional ceremonial behaviors to feel close to God, others simply must try new and unique things to achieve that sense of unity and closeness to Him. 

The point is that we are all wonderfully and fearfully made (Psalm 139) each of us with unique characteristics and personalities.  There is nothing boring or bad or wrong, there is just the joy of all the infinitely diverse ways God has seen fit to bless us!  

We are blessed in that God makes room for all of it.  There is a framework within which it all works; boundaries that when kept to, allow for all the freedom we could ever ask for to explore and experiment and find our own comforting space; the way to Worship and serve and honor and fully enjoy fellowship with the Lord our Creator.  

The TRUTH sets those boundaries, not us.  

We with all our human failure in the flesh have decided that those who don't think or act or dress or perform like us are not part of the unified Body with us.  We find it very difficult to let go of our need to control and our ego that insists on being "right".

The TRUTH tells us that those who put their faith in God, trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and their lives show some kind of evidence of those beliefs are all part of ONE BODY OF CHRIST.

The rest?  The Worship styles, the times and places of gathering, the ceremonial stuff?  Shouldn't be the focus.  These are all flesh based acts designed to bring us to the Spiritual.  Using these things against us is how the devil divides and conquers us.  

We can stop him cold in his tracks so easily.  

Keep our eyes on Jesus.  Love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and Love our Neighbors as ourselves.  

Who cares if they use bread or crackers or wafers of some kind to celebrate Communion?  Or if they call it the Lords Supper?  Focusing on such insignificant and unimportant things is to be deceived out of enjoying fellowship in the Spirit with Brothers and Sisters in Christ. 

Go back and read the scriptures, not with an eye toward proving your personal thought process, but with a heart humbled that asks God to show you His truth.  I think you may come away very, very blessed.

When we seek out those who believe in God and confess Jesus as Savior and accept them as we want to be accepted, we will find STRENGTH and UNITY and BLESSINGS.  We don't have to act the same, to be of the same BODY. In fact, those differences are one of the things that strengthen the Body.  Everyone has their own gift, their own ability that serves a unique purpose that blesses the whole Body of Christ.

  And in that unity and strength, I know, because God declares it is so, that we will find VICTORY THROUGH JESUS, individually and as a Body.  Here in America there is outcry by some for restoring our nation.  This is how we will find strength as a nation.  

Because - "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" Psalm 33:12

You are very welcome to click on Comments and share your thoughts.  God bless us, everyone!

The Answer is NOT a Cliche'

Have you ever experienced a time when a thing that seemed to be accepted and understood by just about everyone else, you just couldn't agree with?  Somehow, the way you saw it, the way you heard it, it just wasn't as right and wonderful as everyone else seemed to think it was. 

That's how the very popular "WWJD?" movement struck me. (What Would Jesus Do?)  I tried to see it as everyone else did.  I do agree that we are supposed to be light and salt to the world.  We are supposed to strive to be like Jesus.  We certainly can't go wrong if we think about how Jesus would handle things and then try to handle them the same or in a similar manner.  

Except.....  except that we are not in the same circumstances or the same culture as Jesus when He walked the earth.  But that wasn't really the issue with this.  My biggest issue was "Yea, but Jesus is DIVINE in nature, and I am sinful in nature!"  His thoughts are so far above my ability to even think at all!  His ways are so far above my ability to grasp the enormity of them!  My issue wasn't trying to think about how Jesus would do things; my issue was about people with a sinful nature, trying to behave as if divine in nature. That they would eventually get so discouraged at failing to get it right that they would just GIVE UP ALL TOGETHER.  

My point of view is that we need all the encouragement we can get, and I'll take that encouragement every time.  But for it to be of lasting value that results in real growth that is sustainable and transforming it has to be of the Holy Spirit.  Our thinking isn't going to hit that mark on a regular basis. Taking into consideration that in spite of Paul's exhortation that the scriptures aren't of any "private" interpretation, the fact is that every one of us interprets for ourselves at some point in some way, what we "think" the stories we read in the bible mean and how we "think" they apply.  There's just no getting around that fact.  We've all got some things right, and we've all got some things wrong.  And none of us can truly say for absolute certain which is which.  It's all opinions.  This is why there are "all those denominations" by the way! One small doctrinal belief here, one divergent doctrinal belief there and a whole new religion is born! 

There is an answer.  It isn't a cliche' intended for bracelets and T-Shirts and necklaces and stickers and easy answers to tough questions.  It isn't a slogan or motto or mantra to chant.  

It's TRUTH.  Its the WAY.  Its LIFE.

It is a "HE" and His name is Jesus.  JESUS IS THE ANSWER.

No matter what the question, the dilemma, the problem or the issue.  Jesus is the answer in every form and fashion, without fail.  Every time.  All the time.  (John 1)

You need a word in due season?  JESUS IS THE WORD

You need a friend who understands?  JESUS IS YOUR CLOSEST and MOST LOYAL FRIEND

You need a whole new life or just some changes made?  JESUS IS LIFE

Whatever the need; the answer is JESUS.  He came in the form of a babe, fully divine and fully human NOT so that He could relate to us as human beings.  He already did relate. He has always related perfectly.  He created us.  He thought us up, not the other way around.  He understands us to the end that even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts are not hid from Him even though even we ourselves don't always understand ourselves! (Hebrew 4:12)

No, He didn't come as a baby so He could relate to us.  He came as a baby so WE would be able to relate to HIM!  So we would understand that He understands us, that He knows how hard it is to know what the right thing to do is and choose it each and every time.  He wanted us to be able to relate to Him so we would call on His name and trust in Him.

We are to let His Word dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16).  

His word tells us to walk by faith and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7)

When we call on His Name, we are Saved (Acts 2:21)

When we submit to Him and yield to His Holy Spirit, then we will walk in agreement, yoked together with the Creator of all Heaven and Earth, and find that no matter what we face, He is the Answer we need, want and can count on every time without fail.  It requires our submission and yielding and letting and walking and calling because He never barrels past our free will to choose.  We choose Him and discover we get EVERYTHING ELSE along with it!  

And that's not a cliche'.  That is the TRUTH because He is the TRUTH!  

Here's to a New Year filled with TRUTH, LIFE and the WAY for all of us both in this life and ETERNALLY.  

Definitive TRUTH

I have a confession to make.  I am not a Bible scholar.  Oh, I've been reading the Good Book for 47 years now.  I have attended bible classes, completed the ministerial program for credentialing and participated in and taught Bible studies for over 30 years.  I spent three years learning the Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew of the Bible, studied the cultural influences at work in those who wrote the words inspired by the Holy Spirit and prayed for wisdom and understanding from God through all of it.  But I'm no scholar.  I would never profess to be an expert or pretend I understand or can explain every verse, every seeming contradiction and I would never declare that I know it so well that I would unequivocally state I know the TRUTH it expounds without doubt of any kind.

I know a few things unequivocally.  I know that in the beginning, God, who already existed and will always exist, created the heavens and the earth.  I know He is Love and in expressing that Love He created Man and made them male and female in His own image.  I know He gave free will to both the Angels and the Man He created in order that we could freely choose to worship and obey Him.  I know Lucifer, created to be the Angel of Light, and 1/3 of all the Angels chose not to worship or obey and were cast out of Heaven.

I know that Man sinned and every man since has been born into sin.  I know God cast Himself in human form and came to earth to redeem Man from sin.  I know that if any living person confesses Jesus as Lord, believes in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead after He was crucified to pay the penalty for our sin and repents of their sin, God forgives and washes us clean.  I know we become new creatures in Christ when that occurs and that Heaven rejoices over all who do.

I know that when we pray, God hears and responds.  The response isn't always the one we were hoping for, or it doesn't come as quickly or in the form we desired, but there is always a response from God, even if we fail to recognize it.

I know that God exists as One unified God manifesting in three persons, as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I know that the spirit realm is as real and has more powerful effect upon us as this physical realm we live in until our physical bodies die.  I know that God created Man to be Eternal, and our confession of Him as Lord determines our Eternal place either in darkness, separate from Him or in His Presence for Eternity.

All the other stuff?  Some of it I'm not so sure of.  Some I'm fairly sure is rules and regulations man made up to make himself feel better about himself, or make himself feel like he's in control of things he has no control over at all.  Some of it I think has great significance to us, and some I don't think is very important in the scheme of Eternity at all.  Some is designed to help us move closer to the Lord.  Some has been twisted to trick us into moving farther away from God.

I know that we argue the details and meaning of scripture as if we actually have a say in what is TRUTH, and that doesn't glorify God, who called us before the foundations of the world were laid in place to walk with Him in Unity and know the Joy of Salvation. The truth is simply that we are subject to the Living God who created us and all that is surrounding us.  The TRUTH is Jesus, according to what He Himself declared.

I am 100% certain the TRUTH is not for us to choose for ourselves what it is or isn't truth, just as I am 100% certain we are subject to the TRUTH as God presents it.  It is for us to discover His truth, not our own version of truth.  Because one day, each of us will stand on our own before Him with no way to hide anything of our hearts and be judged by the Only Wise God Who is TRUTH.

The only covering allowed is Jesus.  Nothing and no one else.  He Who is TRUTH will speak on our behalf.
The only true choice in life, death and Eternity any of us has for 100% certainty is the choice to choose Jesus or reject Him.The truth is we have no real way to say we "know" the truth for certain, all we can do is be clothed in Him.

I choose Jesus.  What about you?